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Christmas Fling
'Lindsey is the Taylor Swift of romance writing' DAISY BUCHANAN
Laura and Callum have met exactly three times – once at a mutual friend’s wedding (Laura doesn’t remember), once at a baby shower (Callum doesn’t remember) and once right now – when Laura lets herself into his flat to find him exiting the shower completely naked (they both remember).
When Callum's parents walk in and mistake Laura for his mystery girlfriend, Laura has no choice but to play along, accepting their invitation to spend Christmas at home in the Scottish Highlands.
But then Laura's best friends show up pretending to be her family, and Callum's ex is invited, and as Laura gets closer to Callum, she can't tell if the increasingly sizzling chemistry between them is real or just a very convincing part of the act…
Laura and Callum have met exactly three times – once at a mutual friend’s wedding (Laura doesn’t remember), once at a baby shower (Callum doesn’t remember) and once right now – when Laura lets herself into his flat to find him exiting the shower completely naked (they both remember).
When Callum's parents walk in and mistake Laura for his mystery girlfriend, Laura has no choice but to play along, accepting their invitation to spend Christmas at home in the Scottish Highlands.
But then Laura's best friends show up pretending to be her family, and Callum's ex is invited, and as Laura gets closer to Callum, she can't tell if the increasingly sizzling chemistry between them is real or just a very convincing part of the act…
384 pages, Paperback
First published October 14, 2025
1844 people are currently reading
14842 people want to read
About the author
Lindsey Kelk
50 books5,530 followersLindsey Kelk is the Sunday Times bestselling author of books including the I Heart series, On A Night Like This, The Christmas Wish, and One in a Million, along with the middle grade Cinders & Sparks series.
As well as writing books, Lindsey co-hosts the award-winning beauty podcast, Full Coverage, and Tight and Fights, a pro-wrestling podcast on the Maximum Fun network.
Born and raised in South Yorkshire, Lindsey lived in Nottingham, London and New York before settling in LA, where she lives with her husband and two very rude cats.
As well as writing books, Lindsey co-hosts the award-winning beauty podcast, Full Coverage, and Tight and Fights, a pro-wrestling podcast on the Maximum Fun network.
Born and raised in South Yorkshire, Lindsey lived in Nottingham, London and New York before settling in LA, where she lives with her husband and two very rude cats.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 1,449 reviews
October 16, 2025
I don’t like the fake relationship trope, but when it’s used kelk can turn it into magic. The story was so uplifting without it feeling too sweet. And the side characters were the best, funny and tough as nails. Such a great, lovely novel.
October 1, 2025
Reviewed by a Scottish lass. With wonderfully witty banter, hilarious antics and a dash of STEM, this Highland fake-dating romance is so touching it will melt your heart. The perfect cosy read for the Christmas season! 🎁☃️ For fans of Emily Henry and Ali Hazelwood.
[ Contains some spoilers ]
PLOT SUMMARY
🎵On the fifth day of Christmas, my true love sent to me:
Five days in the highlands, four family members to convince, three Christmas gifts from Callum, two overprotective friends, and one hell of a fake dating scheme.🎄🎵
(Yes, I’m so proud this and I’ll be here all week)
28-year-old trainee neurosurgeon Laura Pearce is renting the flat owned by 31-year-old aspiring pastry chef Callum McClay, a man who comes from a long line of dairy farmers. They have met twice before: a wedding Laura doesn’t remember; a baby shower Callum doesn’t remember.
Their third meeting proves to be truly unforgettable for all the wrong reasons when Laura walks in on a naked Callum – and his parents walk in on them and mistake her for Callum’s girlfriend. They invite them to their Scottish mansion of Braewick in Inverness for Christmas, an offer which cannot be refused. He needs Laura’s help: his “girlfriend” is a made-up excuse to avoid his family, who pressure him to take over their dairy farm.
Laura offers to be his fake girlfriend, a vegan Swedish masseuse who doesn’t drink named Caroline. She’s going to be so horrible the family will never want to see her again (and Laura will get a month’s free rent in return). From there, it’s one shenanigan after another (from getting stuck in the tower and her friends visiting pretending to be her relatives).
With his ex-girlfriend Shiv still in the background, Callum’s dream to move to Paris to be a chef, and the line between what’s real and what’s fake blurring, Laura could never have imagined that one Christmas would change her life.
This is told from the first-person past-tense POV of Laura.
OVERALL OPINIONS
For Chapter 21, play Colors pt. II by Halsey (because “Everything was blue” in his bedroom).
ㅤ🧠🏰 similar authors 🏰🧠
Contemporary romance author Emily Henry’s praise on the front cover is “I’ll read anything she writes”. As someone who’s read quite a few of Henry’s books now, I can see why she loves Lindsey Kelk so much. While this is my first Kelk novel, I can see many parallels between the humour and quirkiness of the characters and descriptions here that are very akin to Henry. Here’s an example, so you can see what I mean:
The fact that Laura is a neurosurgeon lets this sit nicely in the STEM romance subgenre. The way Laura rambles and has an internal monologue that is heavily influenced by her scientific background feels very much like something you’d see in an Ali Hazelwood book. Kelk also draws attention to the strong sexism found in the industry, where Laura laments over men weird about female surgeons and how difficult it is to be in a relationship too because of it: ‘Why do I have to deal with sexist doctors and patients who won’t let me help save their lives but are perfectly happy to have one of my male colleagues on their team even though I’m miles better at my job than they are?’ As a woman who was in STEM, I relate to this and I’m sure others will too.
ㅤ🧠🏰 aspects I loved 🏰🧠
This really was an entertaining book to read! Most chapters had something to laugh about, especially when they arrive at the mansion and everyone except Callum remembers the details he’s given about Caroline being vegan much to the dismay of Laura who loves meat. My all-time favourite is probably the day she gets stuck in the tower, but some honourable mentions include the story about the milkman, when Desi and Joel arrive, the idea that her visitor is Elsie with a shotgun, when Joel says ‘I’m pretty sure he was trying to play footsie with me as well.’ and Laura says ‘That was me, I was trying to kick [Desi] in the shins and missed’, and Laura revealing she stole Joel’s stuff to use as presents.
As well as the humour, there were some serious and rather moving moments too. The exploration of the loss of a parent (and parents who aren’t present) via Laura and the contrasting overbearing pressure from parents via Callum is done well. And then there is the poetic irony of Callum not wanting the responsibility of the farm, whereas Elsie is bitter towards everyone because nobody ever presented her with the opportunity to take on that responsibility. There is a moment between Callum’s mother Lizzie and Laura where she thanks her for bringing the family’s feelings to the surface so she knows her own children better, which I thought was exceptionally lovely. I also like how they have a more realistic ending where they will do long distance.
The relationship was one of the best aspects of this story. Callum is seen as a disappointment by his family and is drawn to Laura because of not only her beauty but her intelligence. There is a beautiful moment where he says ‘A neurosurgeon would be more of a welcome addition to the family than a pastry chef.’ But she counters: ‘Most people will never need a neurosurgeon. *Everyone* needs a pastry chef.’. They are opposites in that Callum has a very hands-on father, whereas Laura has a very hands-off and they wonder which is worse. I love that they mirror each other, repeating their own sayings or advice back to one another. I am obsessed with how Laura stands up for and defends Callum in front of his sister and parents (even when he isn’t around to witness this), they were such profound moments where it’s clear he has never had anyone do this before.
Also, Kelk was so real for having Joel angry about the Henry Cavill Netflix recast because, let’s be real, sameee! Also we women don’t claim Shiv (she doesn’t like The Hobbit and that is a crime!)
ㅤ🧠🏰 unconventional elements 🏰🧠
Something I especially adored was the unconventional dynamic where Laura is the one who asks consent. Usually, it’s the man who asks permission in romance novels and this is something I really loved to see. I also like how once again this is mirrored later on when he asks if he can hold her hand. And again, for the spicy scenes authors tend to focus on specific areas being touched and (while this was the case here) I was completely obsessed with the idea of him being besotted with caressing and kissing her hands. Very underrated but very sensual and sexy!
ㅤ🧠🏰 issues 🏰🧠
While the story has its charms, I found the beginning to be a bit slow-going and a few things didn’t quite land for me. I was particularly bothered by the way Callum’s parents react to seeing him naked: they are, of course, horrified but neither of them decides to give him some privacy to change. Instead, his father Derek sits down and pulls Laura down to sit beside him and talk about herself, which is rather odd considering the circumstances.
Not only that but Desi’s character was especially annoying, messaging and showing up to remind her the dating is fake. She is the perfect overprotective friend but her actions make her presence stifling and heavily dislikeable to the extent I cannot picture how they became friends in the first place.
ㅤ🧠🏰 to conclude 🏰🧠
Basically, if you expect something realistic, don’t. The whole thing is far-fetched and arguably overdramatic but it matches the vibes of the performance they themselves are doing. For me, it was good fun. I haven’t laughed like that in a while, so I’ll definitely be checking out more of Lindsey Kelk’s work.
<< Positives >>
🠚 A laugh out loud hilarious book
🠚 Unconventional dynamic (female asks consent).
🠚 Enjoyable and compelling relationship development
🠚 Loved the Luckenbooth brooch gift (‘Two hearts intertwined with a crown on top and a thistle in the middle. It’s a traditional Scottish symbol.’).
🠚 Raises awareness to sexism within the STEM industry.
🠚 Gay representation via Joel and Rory.
🠚 The pop culture references (e.g. the back and forth names like Bombadil and Justin Bieber for their codeword).
🠚 Third-act breakup not long.
🠚 Joel. Enough said.
🠚 Loch Ness visit
<< Negatives >>
🠚 Initial plot slow-going.
🠚 Parents’ reaction to Callum odd and unrealistic.
🠚 Desi's overprotective nature made her unlikeable.
🠚 One joke was in particularly poor taste.
🠚 Callum and Laura establish a codeword but when she uses it, he never does anything.
🠚 Repetitive conversation: Callum says to Laura her parents must be proud, but she responds that they never talk about it. Albeit 10 chapters apart, this happens twice, which I feel is unnecessary. The second time is to talk about her mum, but I think I should have been approached from a different angle.
🠚 Everyone says to Laura to go back to him and that he didn’t have a chance to defend himself – he said she was no one though? Nobody really acknowledges it other than Laura – I feel like I’m the only one who remembers this piece of information. Defending himself or not, he should not have said that, it wasn’t right. This gets swept under the rug.
🠚 Everyone is so obsessed with the details about Caroline. ‘Aren’t you vegan?’ (While it adds to the fact Callum didn’t remember supplying that detail, it’s just far too nosy)
🠚 Graham says ‘it’s clear he’s mad about you’ but there’s not actually been enough evidence (at least in terms of PDA or moments together)
🠚 There was one joke that didn’t land for me: the line about a friend threatening to “kill the pair of us in a way that was so inhumane, no one would be able to identify the bodies” because of Laura and Desi having their periods in sync – it felt out of place and not in good taste at all.
🠚 I would have included Laura’s reaction when she changes the subject and Callum’s face falls (chapter 6). Surely there is guilt or an attempt to hide it because he was talking so passionately about food.
🠚 We never got Desi’s reaction to what happened to her red skirt!
🠚 Surprised that Callum didn’t overhear Laura’s conversation in the bathroom
CHARACTERS
-ˋˏ ꒰ Laura꒱ ˎˊ-
↳ (Valid crashout at M&S, pop off queen). Relatable. I hate confrontation, I can be a people pleaser, I too watch A Muppet Christmas Carol as a Christmas tradition. I will also dress up because I don’t get many opportunities to. Also, I’m Scottish and even I’m like Laura when she observes someone wearing shorts in winter “Bare legs? In this weather? He had to be the toughest human being on the planet. That or he should be studied for science.”
-ˋˏ ꒰ Callum꒱ ˎˊ-
↳ I like that he tries to get to know Laura on the way to the mansion (when she says she reads he presses for what she reads because he is a big reader himself). I was gutted when he offers to wrap a scarf around her and she steps away. It’s cute the way he hides her some food to help herself to. I really loved how he decides to recreate Christmas traditions that Laura and her mother used to do together, like decorating the trees and filling stockings with gifts. I got very emotional at that! He’s such a good man. I would have hated him to my guts if he hadn’t taken accountability for calling her “just a random girl”.
FAV QUOTES
• For the first time since I’d walked into the flat, he smiled. Just a little, head ducked, lips crooked up at one side like he didn’t want to commit to it, but his blue eyes lit up and crinkled at the corners, and I found myself wondering how devastating a full-on grin would be.
• ‘Laura,’ Joel said gravely. ‘If life has only taught me one thing, it’s that there is always time to stop for shortbread.’ Truly, they were words to live by.
• Making sense of his and Desi’s messages as I scrolled back was like trying to read ‘War and Peace’ backwards
• ‘I’m freezing to death,’ I replied, rubbing my hands together. ‘I mean it, my blood is freezing in my veins.’ | ‘For a doctor, you’re very prone to hyperbole.’
• ‘You live in a castle,’ I whispered, digging my hands deep into my pockets and, not for the first time that day, wondering exactly what I’d got myself into.
• Balmaclay was the last home at the end of the world and I was a lost girl in an unknown realm, trapped with a mysterious stranger. ‘Have you ever read a book called A Court of Thorns and Roses?’ I asked Callum, glimpsing his dark hair, brooding eyes and broad shoulders out of the corner of my eye.
• ‘Don’t worry, I’m fully armed with offensive stereotypes,’ I assured him. ‘Worst comes to the worst, I’ll pull out my Braveheart impression and we’ll have this whole plot wrapped up and put to bed before Christmas Eve.’
• As she put the plate down in front of me, Derek stared in my direction as though they’d just unveiled a new fifth horseman of the apocalypse: war, death, famine, pestilence and veganism.
• His hair was a mess, as though he’d been tossing and turning, and even in the low light of the room, I could see shadows underneath his eyes. But he was still breathtakingly beautiful. I saw dozens of different people at work every day, hundreds a week, thousands a year, but I couldn’t remember ever meeting anyone who made me stop and stare the way I was staring at Callum McClay.
• Hell hath no fury like a Desi who wasn’t asked permission. If I was wrong, she’d likely drive all the way to Scotland to march me back up here and throw me over the side with my phone.
• ‘Some people talk and some people listen,’ I said when he didn’t reply. ‘I’m a listener, I take stuff in, always have.’ | ‘But who listens to you?’ I looked over to see him staring at me with the sort of quiet awe that might’ve been too much if he hadn’t been holding a pair of tiny, bedazzled bagpipes at the same time. This time, I was the one who had nothing to say.
• The way he looked at me made my heart stop. Callum gazed at me the same way I was gazing at the tree, like I was something beautiful. Something to be admired.
• ‘I don’t know why I said it.’ | ‘Don’t worry. You make me want to do things I know I shouldn’t as well.’
• Side by side, we read in silence, occasionally turning the page at the exact same time, glancing over at each other with a shy smile. The quiet rustle of paper, his furrowed brow, the way he pushed his glasses up his nose every time they slid down. When he brought his right hand up to his tongue to moisten his index finger, I almost gasped.
• Could it be that my immunity was wearing off? Love was an illness and I’d avoided it for so long but now I was showing all the symptoms and it was progressing worryingly fast.
• When I didn’t move, he covered my hand with his and pulled it a few inches away from my side. The water, the sky, the rest of the world disappeared as I melted into him, covered, protected, by Callum McClay.
• Two drinks and a few skipped stones and all my self-imposed safety measures were out the window. I wanted to be as close to Callum as humanly possible, I wanted more of the delicious feeling that consumed me whenever he was close. The dopamine rush, the pounding heart, the prickling skin, ultra attuned to every move he made. I was addicted.
• ‘I’m not talking about Caroline,’ Callum said. ‘I’m talking about you.’ The weight of his gaze was crushing, pinning me to the chair and forcing to listen to him, my arguments and witty rebuttals all choked up in my throat. With dark eyes trained on mine, he unfastened one cuff of his shirt, folding it back on itself. ‘Laura Pearce, neurosurgeon, lover of Loch Ness and rare steaks and Christmas ornaments, who can’t hold her whisky and has feet like blocks of ice.’
• Pain, embarrassment, heartache. They all stimulated similar physical responses in the body, many of the same fight-or-flight reactions. There were studies that showed how emotional pain lit up the same areas of the brain as physical pain. The cortisol spiking in my blood told my muscles to swell as my sympathetic nervous system ramped up its efforts. My neck tightened and my chest felt like it was being crushed. But where I’d been foggy and lost only a moment ago, I suddenly felt razor-sharp and words flew out my mouth, slicing him like scalpels. I was a surgeon after all, I knew exactly where to cut to inflict the most damage. My body chose to fight.
• ‘We McClays have never been afraid of hard work, especially when there’s a worthy reward at the end of it.’ Winding my hair around his hands, he tugged gently, splintering my concentration into a thousand tiny shards. ‘I stayed awake all night watching you sleep because I couldn’t stand the thought of our one time being over. Laura, I’ll find a way to make this work. All you have to do is keep being yourself.’
══════════ ⋆★⋆ ══════════
I received an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review and I’d like to thank Lindsey Kelk, HarperCollins UK, and NetGalley for the opportunity. This has not affected my opinion in any way.
I slid my hands over his heart, feeling for the beat that matched my own, no longer erratic and afraid but certain and steady. Six short days and everything had changed. Not me, not really, I was the same person I’d always been only now, thanks to Callum, I felt more myself than ever. Whatever we’d done before, whoever we thought we were or had pretended to be, that was the past, and the thought of living a life without him, without seeing him, talking to him, touching him. was so much more frightening than the risk of letting him in. Steady grey or dangerous Technicolor.
[ Contains some spoilers ]
PLOT SUMMARY
🎵On the fifth day of Christmas, my true love sent to me:
Five days in the highlands, four family members to convince, three Christmas gifts from Callum, two overprotective friends, and one hell of a fake dating scheme.🎄🎵
(Yes, I’m so proud this and I’ll be here all week)
28-year-old trainee neurosurgeon Laura Pearce is renting the flat owned by 31-year-old aspiring pastry chef Callum McClay, a man who comes from a long line of dairy farmers. They have met twice before: a wedding Laura doesn’t remember; a baby shower Callum doesn’t remember.
Their third meeting proves to be truly unforgettable for all the wrong reasons when Laura walks in on a naked Callum – and his parents walk in on them and mistake her for Callum’s girlfriend. They invite them to their Scottish mansion of Braewick in Inverness for Christmas, an offer which cannot be refused. He needs Laura’s help: his “girlfriend” is a made-up excuse to avoid his family, who pressure him to take over their dairy farm.
Laura offers to be his fake girlfriend, a vegan Swedish masseuse who doesn’t drink named Caroline. She’s going to be so horrible the family will never want to see her again (and Laura will get a month’s free rent in return). From there, it’s one shenanigan after another (from getting stuck in the tower and her friends visiting pretending to be her relatives).
With his ex-girlfriend Shiv still in the background, Callum’s dream to move to Paris to be a chef, and the line between what’s real and what’s fake blurring, Laura could never have imagined that one Christmas would change her life.
This is told from the first-person past-tense POV of Laura.
OVERALL OPINIONS
For Chapter 21, play Colors pt. II by Halsey (because “Everything was blue” in his bedroom).
ㅤ🧠🏰 similar authors 🏰🧠
Contemporary romance author Emily Henry’s praise on the front cover is “I’ll read anything she writes”. As someone who’s read quite a few of Henry’s books now, I can see why she loves Lindsey Kelk so much. While this is my first Kelk novel, I can see many parallels between the humour and quirkiness of the characters and descriptions here that are very akin to Henry. Here’s an example, so you can see what I mean:
It was very hard to say who was screaming louder, me or the enormous naked man, but I was definitely winning in the high-pitch stakes, alerting dolphins all over the North Atlantic to my current predicament.
The fact that Laura is a neurosurgeon lets this sit nicely in the STEM romance subgenre. The way Laura rambles and has an internal monologue that is heavily influenced by her scientific background feels very much like something you’d see in an Ali Hazelwood book. Kelk also draws attention to the strong sexism found in the industry, where Laura laments over men weird about female surgeons and how difficult it is to be in a relationship too because of it: ‘Why do I have to deal with sexist doctors and patients who won’t let me help save their lives but are perfectly happy to have one of my male colleagues on their team even though I’m miles better at my job than they are?’ As a woman who was in STEM, I relate to this and I’m sure others will too.
Much like female pilots and truck drivers and presidents of the United States of America, it was one of those jobs that just didn’t sit right with [men] and we all suffered because of it.
ㅤ🧠🏰 aspects I loved 🏰🧠
This really was an entertaining book to read! Most chapters had something to laugh about, especially when they arrive at the mansion and everyone except Callum remembers the details he’s given about Caroline being vegan much to the dismay of Laura who loves meat. My all-time favourite is probably the day she gets stuck in the tower, but some honourable mentions include the story about the milkman, when Desi and Joel arrive, the idea that her visitor is Elsie with a shotgun, when Joel says ‘I’m pretty sure he was trying to play footsie with me as well.’ and Laura says ‘That was me, I was trying to kick [Desi] in the shins and missed’, and Laura revealing she stole Joel’s stuff to use as presents.
As well as the humour, there were some serious and rather moving moments too. The exploration of the loss of a parent (and parents who aren’t present) via Laura and the contrasting overbearing pressure from parents via Callum is done well. And then there is the poetic irony of Callum not wanting the responsibility of the farm, whereas Elsie is bitter towards everyone because nobody ever presented her with the opportunity to take on that responsibility. There is a moment between Callum’s mother Lizzie and Laura where she thanks her for bringing the family’s feelings to the surface so she knows her own children better, which I thought was exceptionally lovely. I also like how they have a more realistic ending where they will do long distance.
The relationship was one of the best aspects of this story. Callum is seen as a disappointment by his family and is drawn to Laura because of not only her beauty but her intelligence. There is a beautiful moment where he says ‘A neurosurgeon would be more of a welcome addition to the family than a pastry chef.’ But she counters: ‘Most people will never need a neurosurgeon. *Everyone* needs a pastry chef.’. They are opposites in that Callum has a very hands-on father, whereas Laura has a very hands-off and they wonder which is worse. I love that they mirror each other, repeating their own sayings or advice back to one another. I am obsessed with how Laura stands up for and defends Callum in front of his sister and parents (even when he isn’t around to witness this), they were such profound moments where it’s clear he has never had anyone do this before.
I held my breath as he leaned forward, elbows on knees, oxygen-depleted blood thundering around my body. I wasn’t used to someone else’s presence having this kind of effect on me. I wasn’t used to anyone else’s presence having any kind of effect on me.
‘Another person can’t complete you,’ I said, no weight to my words whatsoever. ‘Not everyone has to have someone.’
‘No,’ he agreed. ‘But everyone deserves someone. You deserve someone.’
Also, Kelk was so real for having Joel angry about the Henry Cavill Netflix recast because, let’s be real, sameee! Also we women don’t claim Shiv (she doesn’t like The Hobbit and that is a crime!)
ㅤ🧠🏰 unconventional elements 🏰🧠
Something I especially adored was the unconventional dynamic where Laura is the one who asks consent. Usually, it’s the man who asks permission in romance novels and this is something I really loved to see. I also like how once again this is mirrored later on when he asks if he can hold her hand. And again, for the spicy scenes authors tend to focus on specific areas being touched and (while this was the case here) I was completely obsessed with the idea of him being besotted with caressing and kissing her hands. Very underrated but very sensual and sexy!
ㅤ🧠🏰 issues 🏰🧠
While the story has its charms, I found the beginning to be a bit slow-going and a few things didn’t quite land for me. I was particularly bothered by the way Callum’s parents react to seeing him naked: they are, of course, horrified but neither of them decides to give him some privacy to change. Instead, his father Derek sits down and pulls Laura down to sit beside him and talk about herself, which is rather odd considering the circumstances.
Not only that but Desi’s character was especially annoying, messaging and showing up to remind her the dating is fake. She is the perfect overprotective friend but her actions make her presence stifling and heavily dislikeable to the extent I cannot picture how they became friends in the first place.
ㅤ🧠🏰 to conclude 🏰🧠
Basically, if you expect something realistic, don’t. The whole thing is far-fetched and arguably overdramatic but it matches the vibes of the performance they themselves are doing. For me, it was good fun. I haven’t laughed like that in a while, so I’ll definitely be checking out more of Lindsey Kelk’s work.
<< Positives >>
🠚 A laugh out loud hilarious book
🠚 Unconventional dynamic (female asks consent).
🠚 Enjoyable and compelling relationship development
🠚 Loved the Luckenbooth brooch gift (‘Two hearts intertwined with a crown on top and a thistle in the middle. It’s a traditional Scottish symbol.’).
🠚 Raises awareness to sexism within the STEM industry.
🠚 Gay representation via Joel and Rory.
🠚 The pop culture references (e.g. the back and forth names like Bombadil and Justin Bieber for their codeword).
🠚 Third-act breakup not long.
🠚 Joel. Enough said.
🠚 Loch Ness visit
<< Negatives >>
🠚 Initial plot slow-going.
🠚 Parents’ reaction to Callum odd and unrealistic.
🠚 Desi's overprotective nature made her unlikeable.
🠚 One joke was in particularly poor taste.
🠚 Callum and Laura establish a codeword but when she uses it, he never does anything.
🠚 Repetitive conversation: Callum says to Laura her parents must be proud, but she responds that they never talk about it. Albeit 10 chapters apart, this happens twice, which I feel is unnecessary. The second time is to talk about her mum, but I think I should have been approached from a different angle.
🠚 Everyone says to Laura to go back to him and that he didn’t have a chance to defend himself – he said she was no one though? Nobody really acknowledges it other than Laura – I feel like I’m the only one who remembers this piece of information. Defending himself or not, he should not have said that, it wasn’t right. This gets swept under the rug.
🠚 Everyone is so obsessed with the details about Caroline. ‘Aren’t you vegan?’ (While it adds to the fact Callum didn’t remember supplying that detail, it’s just far too nosy)
🠚 Graham says ‘it’s clear he’s mad about you’ but there’s not actually been enough evidence (at least in terms of PDA or moments together)
🠚 There was one joke that didn’t land for me: the line about a friend threatening to “kill the pair of us in a way that was so inhumane, no one would be able to identify the bodies” because of Laura and Desi having their periods in sync – it felt out of place and not in good taste at all.
🠚 I would have included Laura’s reaction when she changes the subject and Callum’s face falls (chapter 6). Surely there is guilt or an attempt to hide it because he was talking so passionately about food.
🠚 We never got Desi’s reaction to what happened to her red skirt!
🠚 Surprised that Callum didn’t overhear Laura’s conversation in the bathroom
CHARACTERS
-ˋˏ ꒰ Laura꒱ ˎˊ-
↳ (Valid crashout at M&S, pop off queen). Relatable. I hate confrontation, I can be a people pleaser, I too watch A Muppet Christmas Carol as a Christmas tradition. I will also dress up because I don’t get many opportunities to. Also, I’m Scottish and even I’m like Laura when she observes someone wearing shorts in winter “Bare legs? In this weather? He had to be the toughest human being on the planet. That or he should be studied for science.”
-ˋˏ ꒰ Callum꒱ ˎˊ-
↳ I like that he tries to get to know Laura on the way to the mansion (when she says she reads he presses for what she reads because he is a big reader himself). I was gutted when he offers to wrap a scarf around her and she steps away. It’s cute the way he hides her some food to help herself to. I really loved how he decides to recreate Christmas traditions that Laura and her mother used to do together, like decorating the trees and filling stockings with gifts. I got very emotional at that! He’s such a good man. I would have hated him to my guts if he hadn’t taken accountability for calling her “just a random girl”.
FAV QUOTES
• For the first time since I’d walked into the flat, he smiled. Just a little, head ducked, lips crooked up at one side like he didn’t want to commit to it, but his blue eyes lit up and crinkled at the corners, and I found myself wondering how devastating a full-on grin would be.
• ‘Laura,’ Joel said gravely. ‘If life has only taught me one thing, it’s that there is always time to stop for shortbread.’ Truly, they were words to live by.
• Making sense of his and Desi’s messages as I scrolled back was like trying to read ‘War and Peace’ backwards
• ‘I’m freezing to death,’ I replied, rubbing my hands together. ‘I mean it, my blood is freezing in my veins.’ | ‘For a doctor, you’re very prone to hyperbole.’
• ‘You live in a castle,’ I whispered, digging my hands deep into my pockets and, not for the first time that day, wondering exactly what I’d got myself into.
• Balmaclay was the last home at the end of the world and I was a lost girl in an unknown realm, trapped with a mysterious stranger. ‘Have you ever read a book called A Court of Thorns and Roses?’ I asked Callum, glimpsing his dark hair, brooding eyes and broad shoulders out of the corner of my eye.
• ‘Don’t worry, I’m fully armed with offensive stereotypes,’ I assured him. ‘Worst comes to the worst, I’ll pull out my Braveheart impression and we’ll have this whole plot wrapped up and put to bed before Christmas Eve.’
• As she put the plate down in front of me, Derek stared in my direction as though they’d just unveiled a new fifth horseman of the apocalypse: war, death, famine, pestilence and veganism.
• His hair was a mess, as though he’d been tossing and turning, and even in the low light of the room, I could see shadows underneath his eyes. But he was still breathtakingly beautiful. I saw dozens of different people at work every day, hundreds a week, thousands a year, but I couldn’t remember ever meeting anyone who made me stop and stare the way I was staring at Callum McClay.
• Hell hath no fury like a Desi who wasn’t asked permission. If I was wrong, she’d likely drive all the way to Scotland to march me back up here and throw me over the side with my phone.
• ‘Some people talk and some people listen,’ I said when he didn’t reply. ‘I’m a listener, I take stuff in, always have.’ | ‘But who listens to you?’ I looked over to see him staring at me with the sort of quiet awe that might’ve been too much if he hadn’t been holding a pair of tiny, bedazzled bagpipes at the same time. This time, I was the one who had nothing to say.
• The way he looked at me made my heart stop. Callum gazed at me the same way I was gazing at the tree, like I was something beautiful. Something to be admired.
• ‘I don’t know why I said it.’ | ‘Don’t worry. You make me want to do things I know I shouldn’t as well.’
• Side by side, we read in silence, occasionally turning the page at the exact same time, glancing over at each other with a shy smile. The quiet rustle of paper, his furrowed brow, the way he pushed his glasses up his nose every time they slid down. When he brought his right hand up to his tongue to moisten his index finger, I almost gasped.
• Could it be that my immunity was wearing off? Love was an illness and I’d avoided it for so long but now I was showing all the symptoms and it was progressing worryingly fast.
• When I didn’t move, he covered my hand with his and pulled it a few inches away from my side. The water, the sky, the rest of the world disappeared as I melted into him, covered, protected, by Callum McClay.
• Two drinks and a few skipped stones and all my self-imposed safety measures were out the window. I wanted to be as close to Callum as humanly possible, I wanted more of the delicious feeling that consumed me whenever he was close. The dopamine rush, the pounding heart, the prickling skin, ultra attuned to every move he made. I was addicted.
• ‘I’m not talking about Caroline,’ Callum said. ‘I’m talking about you.’ The weight of his gaze was crushing, pinning me to the chair and forcing to listen to him, my arguments and witty rebuttals all choked up in my throat. With dark eyes trained on mine, he unfastened one cuff of his shirt, folding it back on itself. ‘Laura Pearce, neurosurgeon, lover of Loch Ness and rare steaks and Christmas ornaments, who can’t hold her whisky and has feet like blocks of ice.’
• Pain, embarrassment, heartache. They all stimulated similar physical responses in the body, many of the same fight-or-flight reactions. There were studies that showed how emotional pain lit up the same areas of the brain as physical pain. The cortisol spiking in my blood told my muscles to swell as my sympathetic nervous system ramped up its efforts. My neck tightened and my chest felt like it was being crushed. But where I’d been foggy and lost only a moment ago, I suddenly felt razor-sharp and words flew out my mouth, slicing him like scalpels. I was a surgeon after all, I knew exactly where to cut to inflict the most damage. My body chose to fight.
• ‘We McClays have never been afraid of hard work, especially when there’s a worthy reward at the end of it.’ Winding my hair around his hands, he tugged gently, splintering my concentration into a thousand tiny shards. ‘I stayed awake all night watching you sleep because I couldn’t stand the thought of our one time being over. Laura, I’ll find a way to make this work. All you have to do is keep being yourself.’
══════════ ⋆★⋆ ══════════
I received an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review and I’d like to thank Lindsey Kelk, HarperCollins UK, and NetGalley for the opportunity. This has not affected my opinion in any way.
October 16, 2025
3.5 rounded up. A classic-type, chick-lit, rom-com, Kelk's "Christmas Fling" is easy to read & has fun with the classic "fake dating" trope in holiday over-drive in the Scottish highlands. I liked the gender-switched careers here - she's a neuro-surgeon & he's an aspiring pastry chef. But I did not like how absolutely awful his family was - especially the bitchy sister & pig of a dad (and at Christmas!) but the FMC's pals were super awesome. One rather 🌶️🌶️🌶️ sex scene which was easy to skip. Overall it was fine holiday fluff.
November 4, 2025
3.7 Stars
One Liner: A fun read with OTT drama
Laura and Callum met thrice (one doesn’t remember the first meeting, the other doesn’t remember the second meeting). The third time is when Laura enters his flat to find him stepping out of the shower.
When Callum’s parents mistake Laura for his mystery girlfriend, it feels easy to take on the role and accept the invitation to spend Christmas at their home in the Scottish Highlands. But as more people join them (including Laura’s best friends and Callum’s ex), things seem to get a wee bit complicated!
The story comes in Laura’s first-person POV.
My Thoughts:
I’ve come to enjoy the author’s Christmas books and look forward to reading one every year. This book is laugh-out-loud fun with way too much drama that you are not supposed to take seriously (most of the time).
Though not all jokes are funny, quite a few of them are good. The side characters are interesting, even if they feel like caricatures and don’t have much depth. They do their parts and evoke the required feelings in the readers.
The main characters are pretty well-etched, which is where the book’s strength lies. Both are easy to like, with their quirks, sweetness, and flaws. Even if the fake-dating part turns more into a family drama, the characters spend enough time with each other and have some meaningful conversations. Their chemistry is pretty apparent, so it is easy to root for them to get together.
The Scottish setting is beautiful, with all that snow and cold. The castle, the pub, and the other sights are well described, allowing us to have a virtual tour of the region.
The first 30% or so is rather slow, and I was a bit worried despite the laughs it provides. However, the pacing gets better once they reach Scotland. I enjoyed the train scene, though, as it has an important conversation.
While I liked that some of the conflict resolution is realistic, it doesn’t exactly suit the tone so far, which is OTT and dramatic. Extending the resolution a bit more would have helped. Also, I’m rather surprised that the overprotective friend didn’t object to that sentence by MMC, which hurt the FMC. I’m glad at least he acknowledged it. I’d have disliked the guy otherwise.
As always, there is no epilogue. We do get a happy ending (which is more of an HFN), but it does the job to an extent. I really wish the author would start adding epilogues to her novels.
To summarize, Christmas Fling is an entertaining romcom with enough romance and laughter to keep you hooked. The plot and side characters can be outlandish, but it works well!
Thank you, Vicky Joss, NetGalley, and HarperCollins UK, for the widget. This review is voluntary and contains my honest opinion about the book.
#NetGalley #ChristmasFling
One Liner: A fun read with OTT drama
Laura and Callum met thrice (one doesn’t remember the first meeting, the other doesn’t remember the second meeting). The third time is when Laura enters his flat to find him stepping out of the shower.
When Callum’s parents mistake Laura for his mystery girlfriend, it feels easy to take on the role and accept the invitation to spend Christmas at their home in the Scottish Highlands. But as more people join them (including Laura’s best friends and Callum’s ex), things seem to get a wee bit complicated!
The story comes in Laura’s first-person POV.
My Thoughts:
I’ve come to enjoy the author’s Christmas books and look forward to reading one every year. This book is laugh-out-loud fun with way too much drama that you are not supposed to take seriously (most of the time).
Though not all jokes are funny, quite a few of them are good. The side characters are interesting, even if they feel like caricatures and don’t have much depth. They do their parts and evoke the required feelings in the readers.
The main characters are pretty well-etched, which is where the book’s strength lies. Both are easy to like, with their quirks, sweetness, and flaws. Even if the fake-dating part turns more into a family drama, the characters spend enough time with each other and have some meaningful conversations. Their chemistry is pretty apparent, so it is easy to root for them to get together.
The Scottish setting is beautiful, with all that snow and cold. The castle, the pub, and the other sights are well described, allowing us to have a virtual tour of the region.
The first 30% or so is rather slow, and I was a bit worried despite the laughs it provides. However, the pacing gets better once they reach Scotland. I enjoyed the train scene, though, as it has an important conversation.
While I liked that some of the conflict resolution is realistic, it doesn’t exactly suit the tone so far, which is OTT and dramatic. Extending the resolution a bit more would have helped. Also, I’m rather surprised that the overprotective friend didn’t object to that sentence by MMC, which hurt the FMC. I’m glad at least he acknowledged it. I’d have disliked the guy otherwise.
As always, there is no epilogue. We do get a happy ending (which is more of an HFN), but it does the job to an extent. I really wish the author would start adding epilogues to her novels.
To summarize, Christmas Fling is an entertaining romcom with enough romance and laughter to keep you hooked. The plot and side characters can be outlandish, but it works well!
Thank you, Vicky Joss, NetGalley, and HarperCollins UK, for the widget. This review is voluntary and contains my honest opinion about the book.
#NetGalley #ChristmasFling
December 23, 2025
Lindsey is one of my favourite authors because she makes me genuinely laugh out loud (rare when I’m reading). Her ability to write a cosy Christmas novel continues with this! Was it far-fetched and a little silly? Sure, but that’s why I enjoyed it. The first 20% took me a moment to get on board, but Callum was swoon-worthy, and the antics and fake stories that Laura and her friends produce really had me turning pages. Perfect for the festive season.
November 10, 2025
This one reminded me a bit of How to Lose a Guy in Ten Days, except instead of trying to scare the guy away, Laura is helping Callum get his family off his back by posing as his fake girlfriend for the holidays, convincing them she’s this obnoxious, rude, inconsiderate person. So fun!
The Scottish manor house (basically a castle, despite Callum’s insistence otherwise) was so dreamy! And the Scottish dialect. LOVE! Everything about it made me want to pack a bag and go. The antics Laura gets herself into were simultaneously hilarious and completely over the top, and I genuinely laughed while also wanting to die of secondhand embarrassment for her. She really committed to the bit. It was painful to read at times. Ha!
I adored the genuine slow burn and chemistry between Laura and Callum, too. Laura, a neurologist with zero time for a relationship, and Callum, a chef dreaming of Paris, had such different goals that I truly didn’t know how they’d make it work. I loved the uncertainty of how they’d arrive at their HEA.
And wow, his family. They were a real piece of work. So full of expectations and pressure for Callum to meet. His sister especially was incredibly infuriating. I loved the way Laura stood up for Callum, giving him the words he didn’t have the courage to say himself.
Super funny, romantic, and like a mini vacation to the Scottish Highlands!
(heat level: 1 open-door scene, moderate details)
The Scottish manor house (basically a castle, despite Callum’s insistence otherwise) was so dreamy! And the Scottish dialect. LOVE! Everything about it made me want to pack a bag and go. The antics Laura gets herself into were simultaneously hilarious and completely over the top, and I genuinely laughed while also wanting to die of secondhand embarrassment for her. She really committed to the bit. It was painful to read at times. Ha!
I adored the genuine slow burn and chemistry between Laura and Callum, too. Laura, a neurologist with zero time for a relationship, and Callum, a chef dreaming of Paris, had such different goals that I truly didn’t know how they’d make it work. I loved the uncertainty of how they’d arrive at their HEA.
And wow, his family. They were a real piece of work. So full of expectations and pressure for Callum to meet. His sister especially was incredibly infuriating. I loved the way Laura stood up for Callum, giving him the words he didn’t have the courage to say himself.
Super funny, romantic, and like a mini vacation to the Scottish Highlands!
(heat level: 1 open-door scene, moderate details)
December 6, 2025
I laughed out loud and enjoyed listening to strong, educated female main character find her way to love in this endearing RomCom. Lindsey Kelk never disappoints !!
August 27, 2025
I received a free copy of, Christmas Fling, by Lindsey Kelk, from the publisher and Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. I found this book to be way to unrealistic, I could not get into it at all. To much playing around and lying to people.
December 2, 2025
I don't know how to do the star rating for this one. I want to say 3 stars, because it wasn't bad bad, and it had a lot of promise and some things I did like. But on the other hand, I was disappointed in it overall in the end.
Basically, this was not the story I was hoping it would be. It had a lot of potential to be great but it just did not hit the right notes for me in the end.
In my opinion, there were not enough scenes of our two love interests together. Laura and Callum needed to have a lot more interactions for me to buy into their connection and feelings. It sort of felt like Callum was hardly in the book to be honest. And when he was, he ended up letting me down one too many times, which pains me to say. Even though it was a fake dating situation, he still should have stuck up for Laura with his family, especially since I’m supposed to believe he will catch/has caught feelings.
Callum’s family was a bit too horrible, especially considering this is supposed to be a holiday romcom. Like what in the actual hell was his sister’s problem?? I understand she wasn't a main character, but she had no character growth and it felt like there wasn't ever really an explanation as to why she had such a big stick up her bum. Also, the way his dad so blatantly disregarded Laura, all while believing her to be his son's actual girlfriend, was appalling. And why didn't Laura say something to Callum about it!?
I think I just wanted this to be a different story than the one it is. It's hard to review a book that had so much potential. I just would have made so many different story choices. And I know I'm supposed to review a book based on what it is, not what I want it to be, but again, so difficult when it was nearly there!
(Also, if anyone from the publisher sees this, please PLEASE have another proofreader edit the ebook. I don't know if it was the UK team or US, but there were an unusually high numbers of typos that it became distracting to the reading experience.)
Basically, this was not the story I was hoping it would be. It had a lot of potential to be great but it just did not hit the right notes for me in the end.
In my opinion, there were not enough scenes of our two love interests together. Laura and Callum needed to have a lot more interactions for me to buy into their connection and feelings. It sort of felt like Callum was hardly in the book to be honest. And when he was, he ended up letting me down one too many times, which pains me to say. Even though it was a fake dating situation, he still should have stuck up for Laura with his family, especially since I’m supposed to believe he will catch/has caught feelings.
Callum’s family was a bit too horrible, especially considering this is supposed to be a holiday romcom. Like what in the actual hell was his sister’s problem?? I understand she wasn't a main character, but she had no character growth and it felt like there wasn't ever really an explanation as to why she had such a big stick up her bum. Also, the way his dad so blatantly disregarded Laura, all while believing her to be his son's actual girlfriend, was appalling. And why didn't Laura say something to Callum about it!?
I think I just wanted this to be a different story than the one it is. It's hard to review a book that had so much potential. I just would have made so many different story choices. And I know I'm supposed to review a book based on what it is, not what I want it to be, but again, so difficult when it was nearly there!
(Also, if anyone from the publisher sees this, please PLEASE have another proofreader edit the ebook. I don't know if it was the UK team or US, but there were an unusually high numbers of typos that it became distracting to the reading experience.)
December 14, 2025
I give this one 3.5 stars which rounds up to 4.
I received an ARC of this book for free from the publisher for promotional purposes.
This was a cute Christmas romance!
The story was hilarious. The fake dating at Christmas was an entertaining premise. This truly was a romantic comedy. There were so many laugh out loud and crazy moments.
There were also a lot of pop culture references throughout which I enjoyed. They added to the humor of the story.
As for the characters, I liked the two leads, Callum and Laura. They made an adorable couple and had amazing chemistry. I also liked Laura’s two best friends, Desi and Joel. They provided a ton of comedic relief. However, I didn’t love most of Callum’s family. I only found his brother, Rory, to be endearing. Everyone else felt a little meh. I really didn’t like his sister, Elsie. She felt like a brat and never seemed to redeem herself.
The setting of Scotland was incredible, especially Callum’s family house/farm. Their house was castle-like (it even had a tower). I wanted to live there!
The ending did feel slightly rushed. I would have liked the story to include an epilogue because I am curious about the future of the leads.
Overall, if you’re looking for a funny Christmas romance this holiday season, check this one out!
I received an ARC of this book for free from the publisher for promotional purposes.
This was a cute Christmas romance!
The story was hilarious. The fake dating at Christmas was an entertaining premise. This truly was a romantic comedy. There were so many laugh out loud and crazy moments.
There were also a lot of pop culture references throughout which I enjoyed. They added to the humor of the story.
As for the characters, I liked the two leads, Callum and Laura. They made an adorable couple and had amazing chemistry. I also liked Laura’s two best friends, Desi and Joel. They provided a ton of comedic relief. However, I didn’t love most of Callum’s family. I only found his brother, Rory, to be endearing. Everyone else felt a little meh. I really didn’t like his sister, Elsie. She felt like a brat and never seemed to redeem herself.
The setting of Scotland was incredible, especially Callum’s family house/farm. Their house was castle-like (it even had a tower). I wanted to live there!
The ending did feel slightly rushed. I would have liked the story to include an epilogue because I am curious about the future of the leads.
Overall, if you’re looking for a funny Christmas romance this holiday season, check this one out!
December 9, 2025
5 ⭐️ Move over almost every holiday book ever written… CHRISTMAS FLING is the new love of my life!
But first, I have an announcement (and it’s not about Jared Osmond.):
Callum, the Hot Scot in this delightful book, is a pastry chef!!!!! And he strings together the hottest words that have ever been said to a human being, “I could make you a sticky toffee pudding that would make you scream.”
Yeah. 😮💨
Now, despite the dirty talk I just lured you in with (and it was very good dirty talk at that) the first half of this one isn’t exactly a full blown classic romance novel. Sure there’s fake dating in a dreamy Scottish setting but, as with most of LK’s novels, a big chunk of the plot focuses on Laura and her life.
Laura is a bit of a one woman show and I adored every act. She’s so witty and clever and charming and I could read about her antics for days on end. Especially because literally every character she interacts with is top tier!
Don’t worry though, after a whole bunch of yearning and laughing out loud, the romance really heats up and I was in heaven!
Now this book might not be the next literary classic, but it was the most fun I’ve had reading all year. I don’t want to hear if you think the reason they had to fake date (and the chaos that followed as a result) was a little silly. It’s the holidays… inject silliness right into my bloodstream!
Sometimes I think you have to have a really good sense of humor to enjoy a certain type of book. Not the case here! If you enjoy romance novels and you don’t giggle at least once a chapter while reading this book I think you may need to get your brain checked out. And I actually know just the person for that job!
But first, I have an announcement (and it’s not about Jared Osmond.):
Callum, the Hot Scot in this delightful book, is a pastry chef!!!!! And he strings together the hottest words that have ever been said to a human being, “I could make you a sticky toffee pudding that would make you scream.”
Yeah. 😮💨
Now, despite the dirty talk I just lured you in with (and it was very good dirty talk at that) the first half of this one isn’t exactly a full blown classic romance novel. Sure there’s fake dating in a dreamy Scottish setting but, as with most of LK’s novels, a big chunk of the plot focuses on Laura and her life.
Laura is a bit of a one woman show and I adored every act. She’s so witty and clever and charming and I could read about her antics for days on end. Especially because literally every character she interacts with is top tier!
Don’t worry though, after a whole bunch of yearning and laughing out loud, the romance really heats up and I was in heaven!
Now this book might not be the next literary classic, but it was the most fun I’ve had reading all year. I don’t want to hear if you think the reason they had to fake date (and the chaos that followed as a result) was a little silly. It’s the holidays… inject silliness right into my bloodstream!
Sometimes I think you have to have a really good sense of humor to enjoy a certain type of book. Not the case here! If you enjoy romance novels and you don’t giggle at least once a chapter while reading this book I think you may need to get your brain checked out. And I actually know just the person for that job!
December 11, 2025
Lindsey Kelk’s books are always major winners for me! She always manages to turn GOOD tropes into GREAT tropes which adds a certain sparkle and makes her books feel so unique. For example, in this one, she uses one of my favorites, the fake dating trope! But instead of them just dating to convince family or friends that they are in love to get them off their back she adds some mischief by making our heroine act… unconventional. Think How to Lose a Guy in 10 days! I loved it to pieces! The romance between Laura and Callum was fantastic too. It’s a bit of a slow burn but it works so well for these two.
All in all, this is an amazing Christmas read. I’ve read and loved so many of the author’s books and will continue to do so in the future. If you haven’t already, I highly recommend giving her a try!
𝗠𝗬 𝗥𝗔𝗧𝗜𝗡𝗚: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
All in all, this is an amazing Christmas read. I’ve read and loved so many of the author’s books and will continue to do so in the future. If you haven’t already, I highly recommend giving her a try!
𝗠𝗬 𝗥𝗔𝗧𝗜𝗡𝗚: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
December 30, 2025
Absolutely hilarious — I laughed out loud so many times while reading this one!
🎄 The Scottish Highlands setting was cozy Christmas perfection, and the family dynamics added just the right touch of chaos.
🎁 The fake dating trope is done right here — it's beneficial to both characters, refreshingly mature with minimal miscommunication, and has a believable HEA. Did I mention this book is hilarious? Because it really is. OH – and I appreciated Kelk's FMC, Laura being a neurosurgeon, and all the accurate shoutouts of how sexism is still alive in the workplace.
💋 Perfect Christmas romcom vibes — I’d happily reread this next holiday season.
4 stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Thank you to NetGalley, HarperCollins, and Lindsey Kelk for the eARC in exchange for my honest review.
🎄 The Scottish Highlands setting was cozy Christmas perfection, and the family dynamics added just the right touch of chaos.
🎁 The fake dating trope is done right here — it's beneficial to both characters, refreshingly mature with minimal miscommunication, and has a believable HEA. Did I mention this book is hilarious? Because it really is. OH – and I appreciated Kelk's FMC, Laura being a neurosurgeon, and all the accurate shoutouts of how sexism is still alive in the workplace.
💋 Perfect Christmas romcom vibes — I’d happily reread this next holiday season.
4 stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Thank you to NetGalley, HarperCollins, and Lindsey Kelk for the eARC in exchange for my honest review.
November 18, 2025
Pleasantly surprised.
I'm not much of a rom com lover, but Christmas rom comes are my outlier. There's something about the inclusion of festive traditions, snow and romance that make this old cynic instantly melt. Christmas Fling has all the fun of a good classic rom com with a side dash of fake dating, one bed and awful family tropes that I enjoy with two protagonists with great chemistry who I immediately loved.
Laura is a neurosurgeon who doesn't have time for a relationship. Her backstory and current job instantly connected with me, someone who also works in neurosciences and shares a similar family history. Her meet cute with Scottish Callum involves Laura visiting his flat as a potential renter and catching him naked just before his parents arrive to drag him back to Scotland for the holidays. It was fun and there's an instant connection between the two. She's warm and kind, and willing to stand up for Callum against his family when she barely even knows him. Her friendship with besties Desi and Joel was cute too, and I loved their involvement in the ensuing romance.
I loved to hate Callum's family too, especially sister Elsie. She's the very definition of having a chip on her shoulder, mean to the extreme with Laura and everyone else just because she believes she has to bare the brunt of running the family farm because of her brother's selfishness. I never really saw a redeeming side to her, she's full of so much malice, and I would really love for Elsie to have her own story - Taming of the Shrew style.
I think that's my reason for a 4 rather than 5 star. There's a few loose ends, which I don't often see in romance. Callum and Laura's relationship is just kind of left at the pub, and I would have liked to have seen them a little bit in the future, working through long distance and beyond. Would Callum ever go back to Balmacay with Laura? Could Laura find a family in Scotland? What about Shiv? This is the rare instance where I think this could benefit from a sequel - and I would lap it up.
A great Christmas romance that I would probably come back to year after year because the characters really spoke to me. Festive fun.
I'm not much of a rom com lover, but Christmas rom comes are my outlier. There's something about the inclusion of festive traditions, snow and romance that make this old cynic instantly melt. Christmas Fling has all the fun of a good classic rom com with a side dash of fake dating, one bed and awful family tropes that I enjoy with two protagonists with great chemistry who I immediately loved.
Laura is a neurosurgeon who doesn't have time for a relationship. Her backstory and current job instantly connected with me, someone who also works in neurosciences and shares a similar family history. Her meet cute with Scottish Callum involves Laura visiting his flat as a potential renter and catching him naked just before his parents arrive to drag him back to Scotland for the holidays. It was fun and there's an instant connection between the two. She's warm and kind, and willing to stand up for Callum against his family when she barely even knows him. Her friendship with besties Desi and Joel was cute too, and I loved their involvement in the ensuing romance.
I loved to hate Callum's family too, especially sister Elsie. She's the very definition of having a chip on her shoulder, mean to the extreme with Laura and everyone else just because she believes she has to bare the brunt of running the family farm because of her brother's selfishness. I never really saw a redeeming side to her, she's full of so much malice, and I would really love for Elsie to have her own story - Taming of the Shrew style.
I think that's my reason for a 4 rather than 5 star. There's a few loose ends, which I don't often see in romance. Callum and Laura's relationship is just kind of left at the pub, and I would have liked to have seen them a little bit in the future, working through long distance and beyond. Would Callum ever go back to Balmacay with Laura? Could Laura find a family in Scotland? What about Shiv? This is the rare instance where I think this could benefit from a sequel - and I would lap it up.
A great Christmas romance that I would probably come back to year after year because the characters really spoke to me. Festive fun.
January 2, 2026
A really enjoyable Christmas read. It's a fake dating troupe with Christmas feels is interwoven seamlessly. I loved the main female character Laura/Caroline and her fake love interesting Callum. I enjoyed that in pretending to be someone else Laura allowed Callum to see her true self. I also liked the way sexism was exposed in the medical field, and the portrayal of her gay best friend Joel. Her best friend Desi I struggled with. it's a well written easy read, everything you'd want in a romance fiction. It didn't take itself too seriously, the smouldering looks and the chemistry between the main characters was a great build up. Yes it was predictable and there is sexual content, but for me it was contextual. The Scottish culture and setting was great. Overall, a thoroughly enjoyable, light hearted, Christmas read, funny, sweet although not overly so, endearing, charming and with the right amount of yearning. Great stuff
December 16, 2025
The perfect Christmas romcom book!! This had me giggling all the way through!
December 10, 2025
Is dit een voorspelbare silly Christmas romance? Absoluut
Heb ik hier enorm van genoten? Absoluut
Heb ik hier enorm van genoten? Absoluut
August 9, 2025
My Rating: 4⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ rounded down from 4.5 - this was cute and sweet and funny, also unrealistic but… its fiction!!!
Laura and Callum have met exactly three times - once at a mutual friends wedding (Laura doesn’t remember), once at a baby shower (Callum doesn’t remember) and once right now - when Laura lets herself into his flat to find him exiting the shower completely naked (both remember)!!
When Callum’s parents walk in and mistake Laura for his mystery girlfriend, Laura has no choice but to play along, accepting their invitation to spend Christmas at home in the Scottish Highlands. But then Laura’s best friends show up pretending to be her family, Callum’s ex is invited and as Laura gets closer to Callum she can’t tell if the increasingly sizzling chemistry between them is real or just a very convincing part of the act….
Ok, so this is my first Lindsey Kelk novel, and I am doing some dabbling with RomComs. I was not disappointed!!! There was plenty of Com in this one and it was a bit of a calamity of events… when Laura’s red skirt (owned in fact by Desi) flew off the balcony leaving her in her knickers I thought I would wet myself laughing.
The chemistry between these two was pretty good from the get go and you have that Fake Dating thing down pat. Laura plays the awful new girlfriend to a tee and Callum is ever the gentleman.. except when he cant read the room.
Thankfully for me, the spice was low… not nil but there was one open door scene that wasn’t too horrific for me… and the rest was just quite cute and nice or ridiculously funny.
I think its pretty predictable but from my limited experience I think these novels are all fairly predictable and thats the way the girlies like them… and to be honest why fix it if it isn’t broken.
Also loved that this was set in Scotland the description of the weather, the scenery and the people was awesome.
Overall I really enjoyed this one, I felt a bit sad to say goodbye to Laura and Callum at the end. If you are a RomCom fan, this is for you. If you are a Kelk fan I am assuming this is also for you… if you love disgusting erotic filth… this is not for you 🤣
Thank you to Harper Collins, NetGalley and the author for an advanced copy in exchange for my honest review.
Laura and Callum have met exactly three times - once at a mutual friends wedding (Laura doesn’t remember), once at a baby shower (Callum doesn’t remember) and once right now - when Laura lets herself into his flat to find him exiting the shower completely naked (both remember)!!
When Callum’s parents walk in and mistake Laura for his mystery girlfriend, Laura has no choice but to play along, accepting their invitation to spend Christmas at home in the Scottish Highlands. But then Laura’s best friends show up pretending to be her family, Callum’s ex is invited and as Laura gets closer to Callum she can’t tell if the increasingly sizzling chemistry between them is real or just a very convincing part of the act….
Ok, so this is my first Lindsey Kelk novel, and I am doing some dabbling with RomComs. I was not disappointed!!! There was plenty of Com in this one and it was a bit of a calamity of events… when Laura’s red skirt (owned in fact by Desi) flew off the balcony leaving her in her knickers I thought I would wet myself laughing.
The chemistry between these two was pretty good from the get go and you have that Fake Dating thing down pat. Laura plays the awful new girlfriend to a tee and Callum is ever the gentleman.. except when he cant read the room.
Thankfully for me, the spice was low… not nil but there was one open door scene that wasn’t too horrific for me… and the rest was just quite cute and nice or ridiculously funny.
I think its pretty predictable but from my limited experience I think these novels are all fairly predictable and thats the way the girlies like them… and to be honest why fix it if it isn’t broken.
Also loved that this was set in Scotland the description of the weather, the scenery and the people was awesome.
Overall I really enjoyed this one, I felt a bit sad to say goodbye to Laura and Callum at the end. If you are a RomCom fan, this is for you. If you are a Kelk fan I am assuming this is also for you… if you love disgusting erotic filth… this is not for you 🤣
Thank you to Harper Collins, NetGalley and the author for an advanced copy in exchange for my honest review.
October 11, 2025
Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read an early copy of this novel.
This book is a SLAY. The perfect Christmas novel full of love, messy family drama, and a group of people that will make you feel everything you’ve been dying to feel in a holiday romance novel. For anyone who has ever struggle to say what they mean or felt like being vulnerable was hard, but wanted someone to prove you that it was safe after all, this book is for you. Bonus, you get two besties along with it in Desi and Joel.
Make this your priority read this holiday season. You won’t regret it for a moment.
This book is a SLAY. The perfect Christmas novel full of love, messy family drama, and a group of people that will make you feel everything you’ve been dying to feel in a holiday romance novel. For anyone who has ever struggle to say what they mean or felt like being vulnerable was hard, but wanted someone to prove you that it was safe after all, this book is for you. Bonus, you get two besties along with it in Desi and Joel.
Make this your priority read this holiday season. You won’t regret it for a moment.
December 14, 2025
This should’ve been a DNF for me. This storyline was quite ridiculous and I felt myself extremely bored. I had high expectations because I really enjoyed her last Christmas book, but I hardly laughed during this one. The FMC is a neurosurgeon and it was mentioned sooo many times. 🤦🏻♀️ There were also a lot of pop culture references which I’m not a big fan of. There was a lot of explicit language and it was vulgar at times. There was one open door scene and I’d rate it 🌶️🌶️🌶️. It came out of nowhere and didn’t fit with the rest of the book. I wish there had been more interactions between the two MCs to make falling for each other seem more believable. This was one of my most anticipated holiday reads and it fell very flat for me.
December 15, 2025
3.75 stars
I really liked Kelk's previous Christmas book a lot, so this one needed to be read as well. Even though I don't think it's just as good, I still enjoyed this book. I loved the story and the characters, the setting and Christmas vibes in this book.
I really liked Kelk's previous Christmas book a lot, so this one needed to be read as well. Even though I don't think it's just as good, I still enjoyed this book. I loved the story and the characters, the setting and Christmas vibes in this book.
December 1, 2025
I absolutely loved this book. It was hilarious in every way possible. So many simple, accidental moments had me laughing out loud and Des and Joel added even more humour with their personalities. This book was just what I needed to have a laugh and get myself into the festive spirit. I didn’t realise how much I prefer books being set in the UK until after this. I loved it being in the Scottish highlands and having visited there countless times it was easy to imagine and immerse myself in their world. I absolutely have gone and now bought her two other Christmas books and will read immediately!
December 18, 2025
3.5 - solid (but it def needed another round of proofreading, my God was that annoying!!!!)
November 25, 2025
christmas fling honestly felt like watching the coziest, funniest holiday movie. the kind that makes you grin and giggle like an idiot the whole time. and i have to say it: my favourite christmas movie ever is holidate with emma roberts (i rewatch it at least three times a year, no joke), and THIS BOOK had that exact same vibe. chaotic, warm, silly, romantic. pure serotonin.
it leans fully into the “fake dating but make it festive chaos” trope, and the scottish highlands setting just wrapped everything in a little cinematic glow. i loved the gender-swapped careers too: her as a neurosurgeon, him as an aspiring pastry chef… cute in a way that actually felt fresh.
the only thing that made me want to scream into a pillow was his family truly disastrous. the sister was unbearable, the dad somehow worse, and all of it happening at christmas??unbelievable. thankfully the fmc’s friends were absolute gems and balanced out the madness.:D
i had such a good time.
it leans fully into the “fake dating but make it festive chaos” trope, and the scottish highlands setting just wrapped everything in a little cinematic glow. i loved the gender-swapped careers too: her as a neurosurgeon, him as an aspiring pastry chef… cute in a way that actually felt fresh.
the only thing that made me want to scream into a pillow was his family truly disastrous. the sister was unbearable, the dad somehow worse, and all of it happening at christmas??unbelievable. thankfully the fmc’s friends were absolute gems and balanced out the madness.:D
i had such a good time.
December 4, 2025
Netflix needs to make this into a hilarious holiday rom com ASAP!! More holiday books taking place in the Scottish Highlands, please.
December 16, 2025
WOW! What a wild, funny, and drama-filled Christmas romance this was.
I was not sure what to expect, but the amount of laughter I had reading this one was unreal.
What I enjoyed:
- The comedy. The MFC sense of humor and inner monologues had me cracking up.
- The outlandish drama that occurred. Usually I am not for it, but it was just so funny, I really enjoyed it.
- The MFC was so likable. The MMC had so many flaws, yet there was a charm to him.
- The side characters of the MFC really stole the how at times.
- I adored the lovely Scottish history, culture and landscapes the author included. It was woven in so nicely.
What I didn't enjoy as much:
- The MMC and his family were honestly so horrific at times, it was a bit much for me. I tried to hold empathy, but Elsie needed a serious knocking.
- The repetitiveness regarding the neurosurgeon career ... was alot... and the drawn out medical explanations, made the story drag a bit.
- I didn't entirely love the reconciliation after the 3rd act break-up, but wasn't a deal breaker for me either.
- Also to say, I wasn't entirely convinced with the romantic connection with these two - chemistry was there, friendship was there, but our MMC idk if he has the maturity for this relationship to last.
Overall - if you're a fan of Megan Quinn's holiday books and humor - 100000% recommend this one !!
Ratings: 3.5 stars, and 2 spicy peppers
Thank you to Netgalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.
I was not sure what to expect, but the amount of laughter I had reading this one was unreal.
What I enjoyed:
- The comedy. The MFC sense of humor and inner monologues had me cracking up.
- The outlandish drama that occurred. Usually I am not for it, but it was just so funny, I really enjoyed it.
- The MFC was so likable. The MMC had so many flaws, yet there was a charm to him.
- The side characters of the MFC really stole the how at times.
- I adored the lovely Scottish history, culture and landscapes the author included. It was woven in so nicely.
What I didn't enjoy as much:
- The MMC and his family were honestly so horrific at times, it was a bit much for me. I tried to hold empathy, but Elsie needed a serious knocking.
- The repetitiveness regarding the neurosurgeon career ... was alot... and the drawn out medical explanations, made the story drag a bit.
- I didn't entirely love the reconciliation after the 3rd act break-up, but wasn't a deal breaker for me either.
- Also to say, I wasn't entirely convinced with the romantic connection with these two - chemistry was there, friendship was there, but our MMC idk if he has the maturity for this relationship to last.
Overall - if you're a fan of Megan Quinn's holiday books and humor - 100000% recommend this one !!
Ratings: 3.5 stars, and 2 spicy peppers
Thank you to Netgalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.
September 9, 2025
Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Steam Level: 🔥🔥🔥 (moderately descriptive open door scene)
Quick Notes:
*Christmas in Scotland
*Fake Dating
*Family Drama
*Hilarious Antics
*Women in STEM
My Thoughts:
This was my favorite book so far from Lindsey Kelk! I always enjoy the humor in her books, and this one did not disappoint. Fake dating has never been so much fun. Yes, there was a lot of lying involved, but I really enjoyed the hilarity of it all and binged this in one weekend.
Laura was smart and funny. I found her facts about the brain and anatomy to be so interesting, but I also loved how she played along so well as Callum's terrible fake girlfriend. There was even some unexpected depth to this as the loss of Laura's mother years ago came into play as the reason Laura closed herself off to relationships. I found myself getting teary-eyed more than once as Laura reminisced on the past.
Callum was an absolute dream. Yes, his whole family situation was messy, and he could have communicated better. BUT, he was so thoughtful and caring. The things he did for Laura had me feeling like the heart eye emoji. I was mad at him a bit in the end, but all was easily forgiven.
I have yo also add that Laura's friends added so much extra humor to this. They definitely added to the story!
I'd definitely recommend checking this out if you want a fun holiday read this season!
Steam Level: 🔥🔥🔥 (moderately descriptive open door scene)
Quick Notes:
*Christmas in Scotland
*Fake Dating
*Family Drama
*Hilarious Antics
*Women in STEM
My Thoughts:
This was my favorite book so far from Lindsey Kelk! I always enjoy the humor in her books, and this one did not disappoint. Fake dating has never been so much fun. Yes, there was a lot of lying involved, but I really enjoyed the hilarity of it all and binged this in one weekend.
Laura was smart and funny. I found her facts about the brain and anatomy to be so interesting, but I also loved how she played along so well as Callum's terrible fake girlfriend. There was even some unexpected depth to this as the loss of Laura's mother years ago came into play as the reason Laura closed herself off to relationships. I found myself getting teary-eyed more than once as Laura reminisced on the past.
Callum was an absolute dream. Yes, his whole family situation was messy, and he could have communicated better. BUT, he was so thoughtful and caring. The things he did for Laura had me feeling like the heart eye emoji. I was mad at him a bit in the end, but all was easily forgiven.
I have yo also add that Laura's friends added so much extra humor to this. They definitely added to the story!
I'd definitely recommend checking this out if you want a fun holiday read this season!
November 22, 2025
What an absolutely excellent Christmas rom-com!
Funny without being overly parodical, with an excellent cast and great dialogue.
It features a perfect blend of characters — funny, but also realistic and well-portrayed; an incredible, wonderful, supportive friendship (that also involves giving each other shit AND calling each other out as needed, as true friendships do); and one of my favorite tropes, fake dating — but with a very unexpected twist on it, making it even more fun.
And we should not forget our couple, Laura and Callum: few couples had me sold on their chemistry and also on the characters individually quite as quickly. Their relationship development was really wonderfully done, peppered with unexpected moments that were at times touching, but more often funny enough to have me bursting out laughing; and the whole dynamic came together so perfectly, with each side character’s involvement woven in just right; so everyone fit like a perfect puzzle, with nobody resigned to a plot device or comedic release.
I should also mention the steamy scene, which was wonderfully done, emotionally charged and hot, but without being cheesy or pushed too far — it fit the characters perfectly, and it was the culmination of a fairly slow burn, but that was perfectly paced with a gradual buildup that didn’t feel like a constant teasing but more really like realistic development fitting to the characters and circumstances. Really well done overall.
I have some minor qualms about some of the side characters’ choices which made me take off half a star, but this is still one of the best holiday romances I’ve read in recent years and I’d absolutely recommend it! Especially on audio, because the narrator, Heather Long, os absolutely brilliant (so much so that I think I’ll look up what else she narrated so I can add more of her work to my list!)
4 1/2 STARS
Funny without being overly parodical, with an excellent cast and great dialogue.
It features a perfect blend of characters — funny, but also realistic and well-portrayed; an incredible, wonderful, supportive friendship (that also involves giving each other shit AND calling each other out as needed, as true friendships do); and one of my favorite tropes, fake dating — but with a very unexpected twist on it, making it even more fun.
And we should not forget our couple, Laura and Callum: few couples had me sold on their chemistry and also on the characters individually quite as quickly. Their relationship development was really wonderfully done, peppered with unexpected moments that were at times touching, but more often funny enough to have me bursting out laughing; and the whole dynamic came together so perfectly, with each side character’s involvement woven in just right; so everyone fit like a perfect puzzle, with nobody resigned to a plot device or comedic release.
I should also mention the steamy scene, which was wonderfully done, emotionally charged and hot, but without being cheesy or pushed too far — it fit the characters perfectly, and it was the culmination of a fairly slow burn, but that was perfectly paced with a gradual buildup that didn’t feel like a constant teasing but more really like realistic development fitting to the characters and circumstances. Really well done overall.
I have some minor qualms about some of the side characters’ choices which made me take off half a star, but this is still one of the best holiday romances I’ve read in recent years and I’d absolutely recommend it! Especially on audio, because the narrator, Heather Long, os absolutely brilliant (so much so that I think I’ll look up what else she narrated so I can add more of her work to my list!)
4 1/2 STARS
November 21, 2025
Laura, a doctor, doesn't have plans for Christmas, which kind of sounds thoroughly depressing. When a stranger's parents mistake her for the stranger's girlfriend, an adventure ensues. The stranger is Callum, a Scottish pastry chef, who is in a bind with his parents and his plans for the holidays. His parents want him to return home to Scotland with his girlfriend, Caroline, whom they mistakenly take for Laura. So, Laura goes with it initially, and to help Callum out, because a Scottish Christmas doesn't sound too bad, does it? The more time Callum and Laura spend together, the more their fake dating is pushed to the brink. Is Laura having real feelings for Callum, or is it just the idyllic Scottish Christmas complete with sleeper trains, cozy pubs, warming whiskey drinks by the fire, the highlands, castles, and more? Christmas Fling by Lindsey Kelk is an enjoyable holiday rom-com. While many parts of the story felt far-fetched, I suspended my disbelief, because that's what the holidays are all about, right?
Read the rest of my review here: http://www.confessionsofabookaddict.c...
Read the rest of my review here: http://www.confessionsofabookaddict.c...
December 26, 2025
⭐️⭐️⭐️💫
This was definitely a laugh out loud book. There were so many moments I was in tears from laughing so hard because of what was happening to Laura or what Laura had to do. Callum was sweet and understanding. He pined and yearned for Laura and 😏
I will say the side characters besides desi, Joel and Rory were less than to be desired. Callum’s parents were so oblivious to their own children’s needs it had me cringing. His sister though took the cake she didn’t even get better at the end. Oofda. Overall if you love fake dating, hilarious banter, and laugh out loud circumstances then it’s worth it to pick up.
This was definitely a laugh out loud book. There were so many moments I was in tears from laughing so hard because of what was happening to Laura or what Laura had to do. Callum was sweet and understanding. He pined and yearned for Laura and 😏
I will say the side characters besides desi, Joel and Rory were less than to be desired. Callum’s parents were so oblivious to their own children’s needs it had me cringing. His sister though took the cake she didn’t even get better at the end. Oofda. Overall if you love fake dating, hilarious banter, and laugh out loud circumstances then it’s worth it to pick up.
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